That might not be such a strange occurrence for most. However, since I've only lived where I'm living for less than 40 days, and in that time the phone has never rang, it was rather odd. I only know one person in my new location and that happily happens to be Chacounne--a lovely soul who has been nothing but a source of friendship and encouragement since I've arrived.
So back to the phone call...
Some of my friends here know that I recently ended a 12-year abusive relationship and moved West to start my life over. I have no work and my last interview was over 3 months ago for a tenure-track professorship. I did not get the position and it left me even more deeply mired in depression.
For the past 40 days, I've been sending out at least 3 CV's every day and I've not heard anything...until today.
The sound of the phone was so strange it startled me.
I thought it was a telemarketer.
The voice at the other end was a kind woman informing me that she would like to meet me for an interview. I thought of all the places I had applied and only one of those places would anyone have called me in English. She told me that she was quite pleased that someone with my qualifications had applied for the position and looked forward to meeting me. She informed me that my military record was quite exemplary and that my academic achievements were equally unique.
(It reminded me of the time I got a big thick envelope from Harvard when I was waiting for a thin one. I called them and asked them if they had made a mistake and they laughed at me.)
There is no question that I can do the job.
There's no question that I am also woefully overqualified for the position.
I don't care.
I need the job, less for money than for my own self esteem and I have to get the hell out of this apartment...Netflix is great, but I'm on the 36th episode of Sliders and there are only 58 more to go.
All I can say is that it's for a position as an analyst in a large heavily defended American institution in the middle of an allied foreign capital.
I'm going tomorrow to get my hair cut.
I'm an atheist, but I'm going to pray anyway.
And, I'm going to get this job.